Hybrid
by kyuubecky
Summary: Elrond and Thranduil go on an outing for old time's sake when they stumble on one of Saruman's experimental sites. When they are discovered and captured, a certian ranger will do anything to keep them safe. Anything is a simple word that holds much power
1. Chapter 2

**Author's Note-****Well…here I am in a MUCH more competitive crowd trying to make myself a place here. Good luck to me! Aragorn starts young (34-ish and some years pass before the end of the story with a little twist!)**

Chapter 1- Welcome Home

The battle had lasted much longer than either of us had hoped, but we pressed on until dawn broke and brought blessed rest with it. Leaning back against the trunk of the tree I sat in front of, I let the adrenalin slowly ebb out of my system and became more aware of the arrows in my shoulder. Naming the orcs who managed to somehow hit the same shoulder every name I knew in every language I knew in very creative ways, if I do say so myself, was interrupted by Halbarad calling my name,

"Strider? Stri-der?" I could hear the concern in his voice but I had no desire to open my eyes right now and face the painful experience of having the two arrows removed. "Strider please open your eyes so we can get this over with…I know you're awake." I gave a small grunt to just barely let him know that I had heard him and was truly awake.

"Go away Halbarad; I'm resting."

"Well you can rest when we get the arrows out of you!" I knew he was smiling now,

"No, we can put that off for a while longer. I want to rest right now." He gave a snort of amusement and to my great irritation began to pull me up and away from the tree.

"Come along Strider, I know of quite a few elves who would personally hunt me down and skin me alive if I let you rest and these arrows are poisoned." Finally conceding to his logic, I opened my eyes and stood to my feet; as he motioned me to a brighter area where he could remove the arrows and make sure they were not poisoned I looked back to the tree where my blanket lay, beckoning me,

"I will return for you!" I pretended to be over-dramatic about parting with it and Halbarad laughed heartily.

Reaching a patch of sunlight, I didn't put up any fight as I slowly got on my back and took the herb for numbing pain and let him cut the clothing away to see to removing the arrows; placing one hand on my chest and the other had a good hold on the first arrow's shaft he looked to me and I gave a nod. With one quick motion he jerked the arrow up and out of my shoulder, I flinched at the minor pain I felt, '_Thank the Valar for herbs of all kinds!_' Halbarad lay the first arrow aside and turned to the second one protruding from my shoulder, only about two inches from where the first one entered, and drew his breath in with a hiss.

"This one is much deeper Strider…" he looked warily into my gaze, "I will have to push the tip through."

"Do you what you must." I muttered as I rose into a sitting position and restrained from cursing as he placed his palm on the end of the shaft and quickly applied enough force for it to at least get the arrow head through. He quickly cut the head from the shaft allowing it to fall into his waiting hand; laying the tip with the other arrow, he turned back and pulled the shaft out the way it entered. I hissed when the cut end jolted from my shoulder in a sudden jerked motion,

"I'm sorry Strider," he studied the two arrows for a few minutes before turning to me, "We're lucky: these were not poisoned." He looked back at me as I was smothering the two wounds with herbs that I had pasted while he spoke and studied the arrows, "Here let me get this one." He brushed some of the paste off of my hand and began to smear it on the wound I could not reach on my back and began wrapping my whole shoulder in bandages to make sure that infection would positively not set in.

"Thank you Halbarad," I stood and walked with him as we both made our way back to where I had "decided" that camp should be. "I'm glad that to be so close to home now, but just my luck that orcs would meet up with me first!" Halbarad's barking laughter filled the forest,

"Just my luck that I am travelling with you!" I gave him a mock glare but a smile twitched at my lips,

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing…just that you and Legolas are like honey to all trouble in all the lands!"

"We are not!" It was futile to even argue a point that I myself acknowledge,

"Yes you are! How can you even deny it?" I just waved him off dismissively and returned to my blanket and cloak,

"I told you I would return." I mumbled,

"Talking to things that are not alive again Strider?" Halbarad questioned innocently as he started to coax a fire to life.

"Shush Halbarad!" he looked at me with an amused look on his face, "They will hear you!" He stared at me for a moment but I smiled widely and he began to laugh and shake his head,

"Strider, you are insane!"

"Aye, that I am!" my grin turned devious, "But then again, knowing the home I grew up in…" I left the statement open,

"True my friend, anyone who has lived with those twin pranksters wreaking havoc as long as you are guaranteed to be as crazy as you!" I pretended to be shocked by his words, "What?" I smiled and knew he didn't like the look on my face, "Strider?" his tone was wary.

"I'm telling them you said that!" his face blanched,

"You wouldn't!"

"Aye, I would Halbarad! You would notice that I only mentioned my home whereas **you** took the accusation and aimed it at my brothers! You have just sealed your own fate my friend!"

"How can you threaten me with a grievous sentence such as that yet call me your friend?" That started off a new conversation that carried into the night and through dinner until we retired for sleep.

1 DAY LATER

The rain drummed all around me, and the once sturdy earth beneath me now allowed my feet to bury themselves into the sludge that now took the place of the earth which made walking just **so** much fun. I paused to readjust my pack, my wounded shoulder was becoming a major nuisance and moving it caused a great amount of pain, '_The arrows were not poisoned…so why is this so painful?_' Had the arrows pierced a muscle to close to the tendon? Had they nicked a bone? There was no way to tell right now so I settled my mind by telling myself that I would let Ada look at it as soon as possible.

"Now if this rain would let up for just an hour or so." In response to my subtle complaint the rain drummed harder and lightning broke the sky, "Perfect."

I trudged up the stairs of the beautiful building standing before me and smiled to myself as memories came flooding to me. My home. Keeping the weight of my pack off of my right shoulder I reached the top and sighed deeply. '_I had not meant to stay away so long…and I know they are not going to be pleased to know that I had left Halbarad saying I was fine just to make it home sooner._'

Looking at the door closely, I noticed a small string discreetly wrapped around the end of the knob closest to the door itself. '_Oh, Dan and Ro! You two never stop!_' Smiling to myself, I decided to go against what they thought I was going to do and knocked loudly upon the door of my own home. A few minutes went by and I knocked again,

"Dan! Ro! I know you're probably hiding somewhere near the door! I have seen the trap brothers so just disable the prank and let me in!" Shuffling from the inside but as more time passed I knew that they had no intention of opening the door themselves or not going through with the prank, well I really wasn't up to this right now my shoulder was making it's pain known very well now. '_Didn't want to do this but their over-protectiveness of me will have to be the key in!_' Making my breathing a little louder and forcing it to sound labored; I put tones of desperation and weariness into my voice,

"Please muindor nin," I steadied myself on one of the large potted plants on either side of the door and held my arm to my chest, in all honesty: this was becoming less and less of an act as the arrow wound began to throb mercilessly, "My…my arm is…" a sudden bout of dizziness came and I now leaned heavily on the pot, the wound was only a day old and it was very deep…I just hoped that it was not bleeding again. Groaning quietly against the pulsating torture, I was barely aware of the sounds of hurried movement beyond the door and said door swinging wide open.

"Estel!" two similar voices cried simultaneously as my brothers quickly looked me over, I knew they wouldn't be happy with what they saw and Ada would be even less.

"Come with us muindor, Dan, get Ada!" I stood to move to Elrohir and my strength left me as the flared with new rage sending tendrils of fiery pain through my shoulder and choked cry slipped my lips and, thankfully, all awareness left me. "Estel? Estel?"

Sounds flitted through my slowly returning awareness and I realized that I was in my bed, at home, finally with my family again. I was content to just lay still and let the world move on for the time being as I drifted between being asleep and awake; slowly the sounds become more distinct and I could tell them apart.

' _Birds, wind, waterfall, birds again, Dan speaking to someone, someone entering the room…probably Ada, King Thranduil, wind, waterfa-King Thranduil? By the Valar…what is he doing in my room?_' Slowly pulling my eyes open I took in the site, Dan and Ro were sitting beside each other on my right they didn't look as excitable as they usually do which troubled me, Ro had his hand on my chest to know if anything changed, my father and King Thranduil were quietly whispering to each other with eager looks in their eyes…odd.

Breathing in deeply, my brother turned his attention to me,

"Estel! You're finally awake, how do you feel penneth?" he tussled my hair and grinned mockingly as he spoke,

"I'm fi-", I was cut off as I tried to move away and my shoulder rebuked me for it; Ro pressed me back into the pillows and a cool slender hand I knew so well rested on my brow,

"Ah, ion nin, try not to move your shoulder to much alright?"

"Yes, Ada," I opened my eyes, that I had no idea I even closed, and relaxed under his touch, "What was wrong with the wound? Halbarad checked for poison and we made sure there was no infection."

"Yes, I'm glad you both did so because poison or infection in the bone is very painful."

"I knew the arrow had pierced something more."

"Do we even want to know?"

"It was while we were travelling here and before you ask all the orcs are dead; they were just a lost group, nothing special about them in the least." The soft laughter of my family filled my senses and bought back many memories, someone's deep-toned laughter I didn't recognize caught my attention and I remember the king.

"Your majesty," I locked my gaze on him and smiled, "A surprise guest this time! Are you well? How are things in Mirkwood?" He smiled back, '_I'm so glad that he doesn't resent me anymore!_'

"I am very well young human and Mirkwood is well." His eyes flashed with mirth, "My son is well also but he is not here."

"How did you know that I was going to ask?"

"I know you two fairly well now young one, you're inseparable unless **absolutely** necessary when either of you visit." More laughter filled the room at the blunt truth but something about my brothers seemed…off.

"Dan, Ro," they looked at me with false grins and I arched an eyebrow, "What is wrong brothers?" Their forced smiles grew more strained and I solidified my disbelief,

"Nothing is wrong Estel, Thranduil and I are going away for some time and these two won't know what to do with themselves while we're away."

"Makes sense; don't you two think that because you will be taken care of all of Imladris for a time that you will have your hands full?" they both sighed and looked down, "I suppose that is why Legolas isn't here right now brothers, he is taking care of his home too…like a mature elf!" The barb got to them and they both looked to me with vengeance in their eyes that I had no desire for, "Which is why Ada is putting you two in charge!" the fire disappeared as quickly as it had leapt up, "You two will do fine!"

"Yes, yes, Estel! They will be fine and I will not worry with home in such capable hands!" my brothers beamed at the compliment and Ada winked back at me. "Now, are you hungry ion nin?"

"You know me too well Ada!" I stepped out of bed and slipped a tunic over my head, "Come muindor! Last one there is orc bait!" I sprinted out of the room as quickly as I could and leapt down the stairs and rolled to my feet to absorb the impact, behind me my brothers were calling my name and trying to make up for lost time but I managed to get into the dining hall before they did.

Sitting innocently in my seat, I poured myself some tea and waited for the rest of my family and the king. I was good to be home again.


	2. Chapter 3

**Author's Note****- well…now that the last chap established a steady starting point let us move on! I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CASSIA AND SIOBHAN, THE AUTHORS OF THE "MELLON CHRONICLES", FOR INSPIRING ME TO START A LOTR STORY OF MY OWN! Only hope to amount to something remotely near to their works! P.S. - Curufinwe is my story's Celboril. Curufinwe loosely translates as "helpful light".**

Chapter 2- The Hunt

"Well Elrond, this is just like old times!" Thranduil reclined against the tree they would sleep in tonight as the lord of Imladris stoked the fire under the meal he was cooking.

"Yes mellon nin, I feel as though this trip will be one to remember." He smiled as the memory of the last time he spoke those very words returned to him; the smile was not lost on the king.

"What?" Elrond glanced at him and his grin grew, "What is it mellon?"

"Remember last time I said that?" the mirth in Elrond's eyes was intensified by the firelight and Thranduil's eyes darkened as he scowled towards the other elf.

"I remember very well what happened _Lord_ Elrond!" said lord began to laugh at the king's expense and the scowl deepened, "How you slipped your infamous sleeping tea in my bowl!" Elrond was laughing outright now,

"And how, when you woke, I told you that you had been sleeping for three days!" the king shook his head and looked into the forest but the action just caused the peredhel to laugh all the harder.

"I fail to see the humor mellon nin." He turned back to see Elrond biting his lip to keep the laughter back and broke down. His friend's mirth was very contagious and the two of them began to laugh in a way that made them feel like elflings again.

"And you ask everyone 'Where do my sons get it?'!" Elrond sobered immediately and cocked his head to one side,

"What are you implying?" Thranduil gaped,

"THEY GET IT FROM YOU!" he bellowed and as Elrond feigned disbelief the king took the wooden ladle and stirred their meal.

"That's impossible." The dark haired elf muttered and the king laughed again,

"How so mellon? They pull some pranks that you did when you were an elfling, albeit they come up with their own creative pranks that put many of yours to shame and they do them so much more often then you did…" he paused noticed his friends "dark" glare and cleared his throat. "My point is: they got it from you. Want some?" he held up the ladle filled with steaming stew and smiled innocently.

"When did Ada say he would return?" Elrohir asked for the umpteenth time in the hour the three brothers had been filling out the pile of documents that were neatly stacked on Elrond's desk. Elladan seemed to have obtained a new fountain of patience and bit back a sigh,

"In five days muindor, try to busy your mind with papers." Elrohir didn't even try to stop himself from sighing as he looked wistfully out the window and Elladan followed his gaze and had to bite back another sigh himself. Estel sat on the left side of the desk, next to Elrohir and across from Elladan, filling out documents to try and ease their load,

"They will pass before you two know it! Try to look at it this way: I'm here to help too." The twins looked at their little brother, at each other, and back at him; rarely did they see Estel so sure of being able to stay. It had been almost a two years since they had seen him before he returned to the rangers and even before those days Estel was very careful not to make any long distanced promises to anyone.

"But penneth muindor…" Elrohir started with eyes wide, normally Aragorn would scoff at still being called "little" but the tone caught him off guard and he saw the twin's expressions,

"What is it?" his silver eyes filled with concern as their own deep blue ones were wary,

"How is it that you can say that if the rangers may need you at anytime?"Elrohir questioned softly and at this the human smiled brightly,

"Well, after two years of being away…" he stopped himself from saying 'I missed you' knowing they would not get enough distraction out a blunt answer, "I missed Curufinwe's cooking!" his mind placed a memory of the brown haired, brown eyed caretaker for the family, always wearing a warm smile when working and humming a soothing tune along the way.

"We missed you t-WAIT! You didn't miss _us_ at all?" both of them speaking in synchronism caused Aragorn to laugh,

"Sidh! Sidh! (peace) I _did_ miss you!" They both froze as their little brother looked to the document in his hands, a shadow passing over his eyes, "I was away for so long and missed all of you so much," the shadow vanished as he continued, "…although I _did_ miss Curufinwe's cooking."

"Aye Estel, my cooking is to be missed!" they all looked to the door to see Glorfindel and Curufinwe standing in the doorway, both of them obviously amused at their conversation; Glorfindel was holding the door open as the caretaker maneuvered towards the three brothers and lowered the tray of food he had brought with him. With a wink at them and the same warm smile he walked gracefully towards the door, "If you need anything else just ask." The pleasant elf nodded at the balroq slayer, exited the room, leaving the three brothers to their meal. Raising the lid revealed three glasses of wine a bowl of assorted fruits and three plates piled high with steaming meats, bread, and vegetables. On the side were bowls of steaming soup and a good sized honey cake and a fourth plate, no doubt for the balroq slayer.

"He read my mind!" Estel sipped at the warm broth that he had chosen without even a passing glance at the other items, cupping it lovingly as its aroma filled his senses. The elves looked at him, frozen in what they were doing,

"After _two years_ of living off of things in the wild you choose the vegetable soup? Something that can be made in said wilds?" Elladan raised an incredulous eyebrow and looked to his twin and nodded; Elrohir placed his hand on Estel's forehead,

"Are you feeling alright tithen muindor?" Aragorn batted the hand away and was about to say 'I'm fine!' when another hand was placed on his brow from behind.

"Don't try and tell us you are fine penneth!" Glorfindel's voice held the same teasing notes as his brothers and Aragorn rolled his eyes and sipped the broth again, sighing with pleasure; he started when three hands covered his forehead and cheeks as all three elves now checked for "illness".

"All of you have gone insane." He said slowly and took another sip of broth around their hands and glared at the twins, "Do your paperwork." the human muttered darkly.

"What happened to our 'helpful' little brother?" Elladan retorted,

"He's _sick_." Aragorn's mischievous smile as he turned their words on them; the twins looked to one another and to Glorfindel before standing and starting to help Aragorn stand, careful with his right shoulder, "What are you all doing? Daro! (stop!) you will make me spill the soup!" they let him slide back into his chair as he stared incredulously at them,

"That would be what you were worried about Estel." Elladan muttered as he sat down and took one of the plates. Elrohir mimicked his twin and chose the second plate,

"We could have been Sauron himself trying to pull you away and you would be worried about the soup!" Estel gagged,

"Especially Sauron!", when they both looked back at him wanting further explanation their youngest brother didn't disappoint, "I bet he would be trying to _steal_ my soup!"

Elrond crouched lower in the darkness the bushes created and slowly crept forward on the buck he and Thranduil were hunting, it was a large creature and its horns were large and had seen numerous battles, its thin legs held that tension in them that seemed permanent for all of its brethren but it was well built and much older than most of the other bucks they had seen in the past few hours. A bird call from across the glen held his attention: Thranduil was in position.

Notching an arrow and pulling back, Elrond gave his own whistle and slowly released his remaining breath before letting the arrow loose; from Thranduil's position another arrow flew and both met heads as they pierced through the eyes, granting a quick death for the animal and a meal for the two elves for the next few days.

"Excellent shot mellon nin!" Elrond called out as Thranduil stepped out from his own bushes,

"Same to you mellon!" they gathered the buck and headed to a clearing they had decided would be this nights campsite, neither paid any heed to the crow that circled overhead as it was alone and did not seem abnormal. If they had examined further into the lone bird they would have felt the darkness that it travelled with and the malice in its eyes as they flickered between the two elves.

Uan-Toro ("monster master") strode through the foggy encampment that he had spent most of his life working in; the man had hair of a brownish red and eyes of bright green was feared by the others who worked in the camp and they all stepped aside to allow him to pass. He was now trusted by the master who had renamed him years ago when the wraith had seen the boy's skill with beasts. Under the dark influence of the Master, he had learned not only to tame creatures, but how to break them into submission.

Captured from the age of sixteen and now pressing up on his forty-seventh year he was numb to the whole world save for one emotion. Hatred. He took great pleasure in torment and suffering, especially when he caused it, and no creature had ever offered him a challenge for very long, not even the few elves he had broken. The only problem with elves was once they were broken they quickly died. Humans, orcs, wargs, even the wraith's nazgul when it acted up occasionally. He earned his way to the position he held now by gaining the loyalty through fear of numerous creatures that included most of the wargs that filled the ranks of the Master's latest regiment. They didn't have it in their minds to obey a random human and in result they would continue resisting until broken… '_Yes…stupid indeed._'

Uan-Toro looked about the camp and felt something he had not felt in the years until recently; boredom. He thought when taking the wraith's offer of taking over this encampment it would be slightly challenging, especially when the wraith brought up werewolves; something the man _had_ done before but not as often as, for example, the wargs. Werewolves were a bit of a hassle but once broken they became very malleable; the second reason he took the job was the wraith had hinted at a new breed it wanted to create.

Now, as he strode towards the large hut in the middle of the camp, he hoped that whatever new breed it was that it at least provided some challenge for his own pleasure was no longer easily sated with even werewolves and trolls. Now nearing the building he felt the familiar chill that alerted him to the Ringwraith's presence, a shudder swept through him and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he moved through the doorway and immediately went down on his knees; the years he had spent with this dark lord had taught him that the world still had something to fear.

"Master." He kept his head low and eyes on the ground, he didn't have to look to know that the wraith had turned its attention on him…he could feel it. The fear that shot through his body caused another involuntary shudder and the dark creature before him hissed with pleasure.

"Slave…Uan-Toro….my beast tamer." A hand shielded by metallic scales gave the signal for him to stand and he did unhesitatingly, again, from experience he knew better then to pause. He did not know many who served the wraith with pleasure…maybe the orcs, but he know none who dared defy the being he stood before…none that were alive. "You grew weary with lack of excitement."

"My master." He dared not say anything else or ask how his master knew of this; the scaled hand gripped his hair and pulled his head back harshly, he did not utter a sound: the last one he knew who did lost their tongue. Another hiss of pleasure came from the faceless one,

"I will present you with a challenge then; there is a man that you must have for this experiment." Uan-Toro almost retorted but barely held himself back, '_MAN? Men are _easily_ broken! You find ONE chink in their armor and they snap!_' Luckily he managed to let a more logical side of him answer,

"Did you have one in mind my Master?" the air dropped several degrees and the human could have sworn the wraith was smiling. Releasing his hair the wraith circled him slowly,

"You have served me well since I have made you mine, and I have shaped you into a tool for my use. Making another like you would be time consuming but not difficult, remember that. This man is not ordinary in the least; he will not be easily drawn out, but I have had my other slaves watch him in battle and he is perfect for this test." The wraith paused and looked into Uan-Toro's eyes, "You have a question. Speak quickly slave."

"If it pleases my master, what _is_ the experiment you wish to perform?" the man flinched as his master growled but graciously allowed it to slide, he didn't have time for this.

"He frequents the elven haven Rivendell and the elven kingdom of Mirkwood and he seems to have strong ties with certain elves from both of these places. His is a ranger by the name of Strider but the elves call him "Estel". I want _him_ for this project for he will be the best test subject, no one else." The wraith's tone brokered no argument and Uan-Toro bowed his head low,

"It will be as you command my master. How will I know I have found you new pet?" The wraith hissed at the mortal's choice of description, he liked the sound of it 'a new pet'. In response to the question the wraith was going to put his slave to the test,

"Look for the one who does not back down from anything, and has eyes that seem to be lit with an inextinguishable flame." With that the wraith strode out of hut, dropping a parchment with the instructions for the newest test on the floor. Uan-Toro grasped it tightly and stood, a screech announced the nazgul had flown with its master back to serve Sauron in the dark land of Mordor, "Do not fail me." The words seemed to whisper yet echo as they filled the air the whole camp was breathing with dark fear. Uan-toro opened the instructions and read them over quickly, the process was drawn out and probably severely painful but if done properly the new breed it would create would be incredibly deadly.

Striding from the hut he called out to his second in command Caun 'o' Cuil (empty of life) a man he had broken quite a few years back, the master had allowed him to keep this one and told him the broken soul's new name for the vacant look in his eyes fit that description.

"Sir?" he was not allowed to be called 'master' that title was for the wraith.

"I need my horse and my pack ready quickly; a large new pen must be built: in the forests and it must be much stronger than the ones for even the Oliphant's." he didn't know this for sure but he didn't want to come so far and lose the master's new pet. Nothing flickered behind the man's eyes as he sprinted to do as he was told, Uan-Toro walked calmly into his private quarters and placed the instructions on the center of the desk sat right next to the bed; as he stared at them a new sensation filled…no…not new…one he had missed for a long time. The thrill of the hunt was now returning to him, he grinned to himself; a grin that would freeze the blood in so many creatures… Strider…his new toy.

**Author's Note****- HAHAHAHA okay, okay! When I first typed in "nazgul" my computer said it was wrong and it said the word I might have meant was "angel" HAHAHA! OH THE IRONY!**


	3. Chapter 4

**Author's Note****-HEY! I thank you kind reader named ****ElindielStargazer! I was beginning to worry nobody bothered with this story and I was writing into space so-to-speak! Glad you enjoy and hope to keep you reading! XD**

Chapter 3- Whispers

The battle was beginning to look hopeless.

The trip was going as planned and they were a day's walk from Imladris when a large group of orcs stumbled across the two elves. Quickly changing into, what a once very young Estel dubbed, battle-mode. Nodding at Thranduil they leapt into the throng of fell creatures that surrounded them, calling out warnings to each other when they had time to check the other's predicament.

The number of the enemy was quickly diminishing as the two hardened warriors killed one after another in the fluid grace that only elves possess. It was nearly over when a strange dark rider burst into the clearing; stirring up the battlefield and quickly making it to the opposite side, the rider, wore a hood and mask, pulled a bow from his back and quickly dipped the arrowhead into the powerful drug. Thranduil had found a short reprieve from the battle and looked to his companion, movement to his far right caught his eye and he looked at the archer pulling the arrow back and sighting on the raven-haired elf.

Elrond slid his blade quickly across the throat of another orc, sending it to the ground to wallow in its blood as the life left it. There were only a few left and this whole escapade would be over, they would return to his home and-

"ELROND!" The yell from Thranduil was almost lost on the peredhel as he was torn from his thinking when the arrow slammed into his right shoulder and he staggered back a few paces. The pain was quickly replaced by the sudden awareness that the weapon was drugged. They wanted the elves alive.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Awareness returned slowly, as did the pain, for Lord Elrond; he bit back the groan and slowly pieced together what must have happened. Obviously, due to the drug, he slipped into unconsciousness, and now Thranduil was carrying him away from the battle…as more awareness returned the unmistakable sound of orc voices became clear through the ringing in his ears. '_Too much to hope for._' His mind supplied the helpful little remark that he chose to ignore; he was unaware of how much time had passed or even which direction they were going due to the fact that he could not open his eyes, then again, the skin crawling sensation of the orcs who were carrying him made him think that he really didn't want to open his eyes. '_Maybe I could just slip into unconsciousness one more time, this accursed drug has paralyzed me and I don't think our captors would take to kindly with me trying to struggle._'

"Mellon nin?" the whisper pulled his from his feeble attempts to try and go back to the world in between wake and sleep. "Mellon, can you hear me?" Thranduil's voice was very soft and urgent.

"What...happened?" he matched the quiet whisper but his words were slurred severely and he could hear his companion chuckle lightly in the tense air.

"We appear to have adopted our sons' ability to get into trouble."

"…Where am I?"

"They wouldn't let me carry you mellon, I'm sorry." Elrond had to suppress a shudder when he became sharply aware of the orcs' hands that were holding him over its shoulder, he told himself to try not to think about it but that was difficult being an elf.

"Don't stress yourself mellon…do you know where they are taking us?" the conversation was a good distraction and the stupid creatures didn't even notice that their lips were moving at all.

"From what I've heard, some sort of testing campsite of the Ulaire." Thranduil's voice hinted at more information that he had withheld.

"What troubles you Thranduil?" ignoring the irony of his friend's words, the elf king bit his lip; Elrond was _not_ going to like this at all. "Mellon?"

"They are using us as bait." A very soft snort from the paralyzed elf,

"This I know something else you are keeping?"

"They are after your son." If Elrond's body could have stiffened it would have, but he had to settle for allowing dark malice enter his normally peaceful gaze. If he had a weapon in his hands right now then all the orcs would have attempted to flee back to Mordor for fear of the elf's wrath.

"Im tath dag huin! (I will kill them!)" The words were filled with so much venom and ice that Thranduil had to repress his own shudder, he had to finish the message,

"Mellon, they want Estel."

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"Estel, please stop pacing before you wear a hole into the floor." Elladan let his gaze follow his baby brother as he moved from side to side restlessly.

"Aye brother, you would fall into the lower level and have continue your pacing down there!" Elrohir sat much like his twin, sprawled across the chair he had pulled into their father's den along with Elladan, as he too watched the youngest of their family pace like a caged animal.

"Don't tell me that you two don't feel that something has happened?"

"You sound much like Ada when you yourself are away Estel!"

"Come sit with us brother and let us ease your paranoia." Estel stared at them for a bit before stepping out onto the balcony and looked to the moon as it tinged the world in the silver and blue hues, filling the shadows with a light that only deep shadows could resist. The twins exchanged a glance, neither could admit to feeling that all was well and at the same time remain honest, but this was their father they were talking about! And the king Thranduil as well! If it were Estel and Legolas out there then, yes, they would act on such feelings, but it was not so. Still, their youngest brother was suffering from this feeling and could not find the peace they desired for him; rising quietly they went to stand beside him and wait for him to speak again.

Looking at Estel's face in the moonlight, they were reminded why, when they first met him as a young child, that his eyes had held them so. His eyes were not common for his race; the color of the night sky, but flecked with so much silver and gray they seemed to be moonbeams themselves; they always told his emotions well as they were lit with his over-abundance of hope and the fire of life. Now in the pure light of the moon, as she cast her gentle beams into Estel's already silver eyes, the light within them seemed to grow tenfold and so was the sight that still took the twins breath away; no matter what would happen, he would always be their estel…their father did well in naming him.

"Tomorrow I will go and search for them." The words were soft but brokered no argument.

"Estel let them take their time. Ada deserves some time away."Elrohir pleaded. Of course they would argue they were the twins and his brothers, after all.

"They were supposed to come back today…Ada wouldn't stay longer without letting us know what he planned." Estel met their gazes, he could see the concern buried in their eyes as well, his point was too blunt to counter and he returned his gaze to the surrounding scenery, "Tomorrow I will go and search for them." Elladan was going to retort with another argument he had somehow found but Elrohir touched his arm and subtly shook his head, sighing in submission to the two wills against his own, Elladan nodded to them both,

"Very well muindor nin, but do not lecture them too much when you find them, for you yourself fall into numerous trances that cause you to 'lose track of time'." Estel snorted as Elrohir chuckled lightly.

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Uan-Toro smiled to himself as the dawn broke over the elven haven and the single rider that now rode from the gates; his dark cloak and the way he carried himself named him as the human in Uan-Toro's eyes, only because he had been watching this one for a few days now and had seen that the way he strode across the land and carried himself was more elven than any mortal capable of; shifting his weight slightly in the high branches of the tree he had picked he slowly let his gaze follow the young man.

Yes…this is definitely the one his master wanted. Such a strong will and, by the looks of him, already a very deadly opponent…if the fight was known to both; his master knew a good test subject when he saw one, but this one…this one was perfect, and his capture would be too easy seeing as Caun 'o' Cuil had managed to capture the two older elves with surprising ease. He was pulled from his thoughts of how his second in command had even managed to get close enough to capture them when the young ranger passed his hiding spot unaware. '_That's it fool…come farther away from that shelter of yours…daddy-dearest needs your help!_'

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'_By the Valar, why am I so on uneasy?_' if he wasn't already concerned enough, it seemed that as soon as he rode through the gates of Rivendell a great feeling of unease poured itself down his spine and he felt he was swimming in it. It was everywhere and all around him, pulling at his hair and causing his hands to quiver slightly, much to his disgust. The horse he was riding, Ingwe (Lightning's Challenger), a deep midnight horse with a thin and crooked white blaze down his forehead with speed that served Estel well in any race-hence the name, was a faithful stallion to him, the human had raised him since birth, and the stallion had quickly taken only to his energetic owner. Others would joke that he and the horse were exactly the same in personality and that's why the horse like Estel singularly; he smiled through the unease as he remember that the first time his family, Legolas included, had mentioned this both he and Ingwe had snorted in denial proving the elves' point further.

"Sidh mellon nin," he leaned forward to stroke his stallion's neck lovingly; "We will find them." Ingwe nickered softly, acknowledging that he had heard his master but his eyes still brimmed with fear of the unknown. Passing under one of the larger trees on the road, the dark water that seemed to surround them chilled and froze in the air; Estel was certain that he could see his breath misting around him. Something was very wrong. They should move on, quickly.

Ingwe needed no urging, as soon as Estel loosened the reigns and leaned forward the horse proved even more that he was named well too.

"Ah Elbereth!" Aragorn muttered a prayer to keep his father and Thranduil safe as the chill diminished but the darkness followed while his stallion made short work of the next few miles. "What am I running towards this time?"

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Uan-Toro, for all he had seen, felt surprised by the man's actions but at the same time expecting them. Letting his bow go slack and sliding the poisoned arrow back into his quiver he cursed quietly as the dark horse and rider sped off into the forest; the ranger was obviously looking for the two elves and Uan-Toro didn't care if he found them - as long as the ranger was cocooned in ropes when he did,

"Estel to the elves, Strider to men…you are already trapped in my snare, none can save you and you can save none…ah, well…everyone resists the darkness at first. You will see soon enough." Uan-Toro decided that he would get someone to help him with the capture, as much as he hated to admit it, he would need a suitable distraction to capture this one much like Caun 'o' Cuil needed aid with his quarry..But those were elves and completely understandable. This was just a man.

As he leapt away the trees trembled with fear for this man that was using their branches and whispered quietly to each other, sending messages towards a fair-haired being that often frequented their forest. "Where is he?" they seemed to say, "Such darkness cannot be conquered alone by one young human."

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Ingwe slowed down to a gentle trot as Estel studied the battle ground as easily as one reads a book, grateful for the yeas he had spent with the rangers that made tracking incredibly easy to him, when he neared one of the far sides he stopped his horse short and sucked in a breath. There was elven blood on the ground here, recognizable by its silver tint, and the very earth seemed pained that such blood stained her skin, that such blood should mingle with the tainted black orc blood that was strewn all about with the remains of several corpses. The smell of wargs and werewolves was all around and Aragorn wrinkled his nose in disgust and imagined what an elf would say to the scent with their more powerful sense of smell.

"Ada, King Thranduil…what happened to you?" Estel shuddered as he found the tracks of the two elves he was searching for, pulling his cloak closer about him he looked to the sky; not a cloud blemished the blinding blue heavens above…then why did he chill? Pushing his awareness all about him, became sharply aware of everyone of his senses screaming at him and his stallion fidgeting beneath him; slowly dismounting and pulling his sword from its sheath, he pulled off the ring of Barahir and slid it into one of the saddlebags.

"Noro-lim mellon!" he released the reigns and turned in time to slash an arrow away from himself; the horse was already out of sight when his opponent dropped quietly out of a tree across from Aragorn, another arrow already notched and aimed at the ranger.

"Who are you?" his voice clear in the silent arena the dark man had chosen, no response was given but the enemy approached slowly and pulled back his hood. Aragorn was taken aback from the deadened eyes and emotionless face; this man is just an empty shell, no mind or will of his own, nothing left to desire in this world. He had read about such slaves in his Ada's study, broken into nothingness and mindlessly heeded every order…even if it led them to death; something he had always heard was there but had never seen until today. He shuddered involuntarily, to be controlled by something like another person indefinitely…like a mutt to its instincts…it shook him. So lost in his thoughts was he that he did not notice his senses' warnings until he hear it,

"Fool." The word was barely whispered in his ear when he felt a blade slam into his side before being harshly ripped away. Not able to hold back the cry of pain wrenched from his throat, Strider fell to one knee and had no time to prepare himself when the blade entered again, through the same wound, at a different angle; he felt warm blood spilling down his side and flooding the earth he was kneeling on. His vision began to fade as spots of red and black overtook large chunks of it and slowly grew as he fell into unconsciousness.

"Have we succeeded Sir?" a monotone voice came to Uan-Toro as rubbed the blood off his dagger,

"Yes Caun 'o' Cuil, my slave, this is the one we needed." Sheathing his weapon and mentally telling himself to mark off the first step of the new experiment when he returned to the large campsite, "Gather him. We must return quickly and transform him into Master's new tool."

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Prince Legolas snapped awake, panting harshly and a sheen of quickly chilling sweat about him, the nightmare had been terrible. He shook his head as the last of the dream began to release him, '_Estel is alive and well. I received word from the twins that he arrived shortly before our fathers left._' He tried to reassure himself but the feeling that something was not as it should be hung heavy in the air. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed and burying his head in his hands, he slowly felt the adrenaline ebb away from his limbs and his heart rate return to normal.

A silent voice called to him from the balcony and his head snapped up, on the verge of ignoring it and laying back down, the call came again but all was perfectly still…yet…there! It came once more! The quiet unmistakable voice of the trees around his garden called out to him urgently and he slowly pulled himself up and walked out on his balcony.

"What is your message Mellyn? (friends)", he could feel their tension…could feel their fear. They whispered the occurrences their brethren had witnessed much earlier in Rivendell and the prince felt fear grip his heart with its icy hands. Strider was in trouble and from the sounds of it so were their fathers, but what was he to do? He could NOT leave the kingdom alone without a ruler, though at times he was tempted when he could no longer avoid meetings or hearings or any other mundane task his father usually tended to, but it was his father in trouble! Not only that but also Estel and Lord Elrond!

"Always finding some way to disturb my sleep mellon." He muttered to Aragorn as if he were standing before him. Knowing he would not sleep any longer he flitted to his desk and began to write a letter to the twins, whom he knew where in charge of Imladris; his handwriting was not as he wanted it. Sleep still in his eyes but his mind forbade it, thus blending letters and smearing words, '_it doesn't matter!_' he thought to himself, '_They need to know this! And I need to find a way out of here!_' Then it hit him, Galdor (Strong Oak). His father's most trusted advisor, and a family friend for a very long time, if the prince's memory served him right then his father and Galdor had been close friends since birth even…yes, he could put the elf in charge for a time and go in search of his father! Perfect! He finished the letter and sent it off with a falcon Aragorn had given him after an earlier return from staying with the rangers; that done he turned to his wardrobe and began packing for the journey.

**Author's Note****- well well well? What do you guys think? Sorry it took soooo long for this chapter…life is VERY busy right now…sighs XDXD**


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